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      12-13-2012, 09:44 PM   #1
mgwatson48
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Exclamation VANOS problem?

Hi guys,

I had a thread about my warranty troubles, but I have a new specific problem so I figure I will just make a new thread...

For those who haven't read my other thread, here is a little background info..

My warranty wore off on Sept 9th this year, so before it wore off I took my car to my mechanic friend for a head-to-toe inspection. He found two major items; a leaky high pressure power steering line and a leaky head gasket. Shitty, but O.K. because I still had warranty. So I took my car to the dealership on Sept 6th and let them know of my findings and that I would like them fixed. They agreed and booked my car in to get the two things fixed. Great. But that's not all... Not even close... I get my car back a few days later with a brand new PS line and head gasket so I'm all excited that I can now drive it with some peace of mind... until it got delivered to me at work... I knew as soon as I walked up to it that something was very wrong. The car was idling like a 70's muscle car instead of the smooth s54 that we're all used to. So I took it right back to the dealership a day later. After giving me the run around for a good 2-3 weeks they said that it was the VANOS unit that was the culprit, so they went ahead and ordered me a brand new one ($4k for that little beauty) which took another 2 weeks. Once the part gets in the car still doesn't idle properly... So they go ahead and blame it on the pressure accumulator this time and order that... 2 more weeks... Gets here and, nope, still doesn't run properly, so lets try the intake cam vanos selector gear this time... ordered that ($2k lol)... 2 more weeks. After another 2 weeks of installing it and cleaning up my car I FINALLY got it back this Monday, December 10!!! THREE MONTHS LATER. So being all excited to it again, I take it for a healthy test drive and 10 minutes in I get a low oil pressure light! I parked the car for ~10 mins and go through the gears again but the light never came back on. I took it right back to the dealer and the shop foreman told me to just drive the sh*t out of it and let him know if it comes back on. I went back out and drove hard for another 1.5 hours and it never came back on which was good (still concerned as to why it even came on though...). The latest thing now is that when I start the car completely cold it takes 3 tries to actually start. I have a sneaking suspicion that they just didnt set the cam position properly when they reinstalled the VANOS. I know that the cams have to be set a certain way to help start the car/build up oil pressure in the VANOS when the car is started, but you would assume the dealer knows this?

ANYWAYS! Rant over. Take a look at my video and let me know if you think you might know what could be wrong (and on the third try thats not me giving it a little gas, the engine just revved itself like that)?

Thanks!!!!

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      12-13-2012, 10:14 PM   #2
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It might be bad gas. If your car has been in the shop for a while, it probably had the same tank that whole time. Here is a thread on M3forum to look at:

http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=319481
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      12-13-2012, 10:22 PM   #3
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Good idea, but I just filled the car with half a tank of fresh 91 and once the car is started it runs like a dream, not down on power or sputtering at all. Its just the initial start that's the problem.
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      12-14-2012, 12:41 AM   #4
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Clean your throttle body
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      12-14-2012, 01:00 AM   #5
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Agree that bad gas could possibly explain some of this, but not the oil pressure light.

Another possibility is that they don't know WTF they're doing. Given the story so far, that's not hard to believe. Sounds like they didn't time it properly to begin with, which takes special tools and skill, then replaced parts at random, and in the process caused more problems. Not the first story like this (See ShitbrownMcoupe's threads).

"Drive the shit out of it" with an oil pressure light? Thats almost criminal advice. My advice--don't drive it, and get a competent shop or dealership to look at it. Low oil pressure and potential oil starvation can kill an engine.

I have no idea what's wrong but there's something--perhaps several things--amiss. The oil concerns me most. Next step--call BMW NA, IMO dealsership has had enough chances.

Last edited by Finnegan; 12-14-2012 at 02:27 AM..
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      12-14-2012, 07:08 AM   #6
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Time for trade or sale.
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      12-14-2012, 07:25 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kennyfrc View Post
Time for trade or sale.
So just pass the problem on? Exactly why I looked back at all the threads I could on the person I bought my car from. Could be the Vanos not installed correctly and the trade/sale could be a lot of problems and expense for a car with more problems than the one he has.

Since I am assuming the repair is still under warranty, I would recommend contacting BMW corporate and explain the problem to them and what has been done to fix it. When dealing with VW/Audi this way there is far more information and expertise at the corporate level than at dealer level and I am surprised that the dealer doesn't contact them sooner for problems they can't figure out.
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      12-14-2012, 08:26 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Finnegan View Post
.............. Next step--call BMW NA, IMO dealership has had enough chances.
^ 100% agree with this.
Anyone that resorts to trial and error method of diagnosis is just not qualified to do the job.
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      12-14-2012, 08:47 AM   #9
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And this is why I don't take my M Coupe to the dealer. Get a good shop who know they shit to take care of all your car stuff including service.

Sorry for your problems.
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      12-14-2012, 09:01 AM   #10
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Btw I had problems with the car dying several times on short distance at read lights while still cold when I changed the fuel. Not sure if this is related, but just wanted to say that yes, the fuel can definitely cause this. It was all fine after putting back a full tank of the usual stuff.
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      12-14-2012, 09:07 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SmartBastard View Post
And this is why I don't take my M Coupe to the dealer. Get a good shop who know they shit to take care of all your car stuff including service.

Sorry for your problems.
The car was still under warranty.
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      12-14-2012, 09:10 AM   #12
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Interesting with all the "bad fuel" comments. I might actually think it was that had the low oil pressure light not come on that one time... Wouldn't bad fuel also cause the car to idle a bit rough, drive less smoothly and be down on power? The car experiences none of those symptomes once it actually starts.
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      12-14-2012, 09:13 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Finnegan View Post
Next step--call BMW NA, IMO dealsership has had enough chances.
Any idea what number/department I should call? I'm definately at this point in the whole process..
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      12-14-2012, 11:19 AM   #14
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Booked her in for next Wedsnesday... The journey continues...
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      12-14-2012, 12:10 PM   #15
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I'd think it would be in the warranty paperwork.

If not, I'd just call Customer Relations, and get the dept/phone number for warranty from them. 1-800-831-1117

You might also want to PM ShitBrownMCoupe and see if he has an advice. He's been down this road, and is also in Canada. That could save you a lot of headaches and dead-ends.
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      12-14-2012, 02:16 PM   #16
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Awesome thanks Fin.
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      12-14-2012, 05:17 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Finnegan View Post
Agree that bad gas could possibly explain some of this, but not the oil pressure light.

Another possibility is that they don't know WTF they're doing. Given the story so far, that's not hard to believe. Sounds like they didn't time it properly to begin with, which takes special tools and skill, then replaced parts at random, and in the process caused more problems. Not the first story like this (See ShitbrownMcoupe's threads).

"Drive the shit out of it" with an oil pressure light? Thats almost criminal advice. My advice--don't drive it, and get a competent shop or dealership to look at it. Low oil pressure and potential oil starvation can kill an engine.

I have no idea what's wrong but there's something--perhaps several things--amiss. The oil concerns me most. Next step--call BMW NA, IMO dealsership has had enough chances.

I had the EXACT same issue, is was bad gas, I threw 2 bottles of techron in the tank, drove it for an hour. The problem never recurred.
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      12-14-2012, 05:27 PM   #18
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Ya but the real kicker is that once the car finally starts its completely flawless.. no sputtering or roughness. If it was bad gas, that would also be happening. Its just too convenient that I get the car back from the dealership after receiving a new vanos and now I have oil pressure problems. I mean, I HOPE its just bad gas, but I'm not counting on it.
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      12-14-2012, 05:32 PM   #19
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Also, when I went through the BMW instructions on how to install the VANOS, I came across this little blurb..



I have a feeling this was not adjusted/put back together properly.
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      12-14-2012, 05:59 PM   #20
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Oil pressure and general incompetence of the dealer (given "lets try this" approach) is what concerns me.

But oil in particular.
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      12-15-2012, 08:50 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mgwatson48 View Post
Ya but the real kicker is that once the car finally starts its completely flawless.. no sputtering or roughness. If it was bad gas, that would also be happening. Its just too convenient that I get the car back from the dealership after receiving a new vanos and now I have oil pressure problems. I mean, I HOPE its just bad gas, but I'm not counting on it.
Those should be two separate problems, that dealer worked on more than your vanos. I'd check all your fluids and make sure that the oil is all oil and coolant is all coolant with no mixing. I'd also get the codes read with a GT1 or equivalent program and have somebody measure oil pressure with a mechanical gauge per TIS to verify your pump is working properly.

A lot of problems with starting may also have to do with fuel pressure not being maintained overnight. Have you let your fuel pump build up pressure before attempting a cold start? I admit, that's probably a long shot though. But combing through TIS about cold starting issues and the such all lead back to checking fuel pump pressure.
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      12-16-2012, 08:00 PM   #22
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Car is booked in for Wednesday so hopefully they can figure it out.
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